Written Answers Wednesday 16 March 2005

Scottish Executive

Bankruptcy

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) personal and (b) company bankruptcies there were in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority area.

Hugh Henry: The Accountant in Bankruptcy maintains the Register of Insolvencies in Scotland. Details of bankruptcies are held by sheriffdoms rather than local authority areas and are compiled by financial year. The following tables give the number of bankruptcies for the financial years 1996-97 to 2002-03 and by quarters for the whole of 2003. Further information on bankruptcies is available in the Accountant in Bankruptcy’s Annual Report, which is available at www.aib.gov.uk

  

Sheriffdom
Sheriff Court
Financial Year (1st April to 31st March)


1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-00
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04


Glasgow and Strathkelvin
Glasgow
305
309
281
275
324
306
340
322


Lothians and Borders
Duns
12
6
15
12
6
8
6
5


Edinburgh
228
251
268
252
234
197
234
262


Haddington
42
49
48
65
33
64
86
105


Jedburgh
14
21
28
28
31
18
28
28


Linlithgow
77
100
74
123
98
118
87
124


Peebles
3
11
7
9
10
6
8
6


Selkirk
14
23
12
12
14
20
14
17


 
390
461
452
501
426
431
463
547


Grampian, Highland and Islands
Aberdeen
143
177
172
187
188
211
187
202


Banff
8
6
25
15
12
16
19
19


Dingwall
10
12
13
16
21
17
10
25


Dornoch
9
5
6
9
4
11
11
5


Elgin
48
35
51
49
47
46
42
60


Fort William
1
12
18
12
21
18
31
13


Inverness
36
26
37
72
41
46
59
38


Kirkwall
8
5
4
9
10
6
8
10


Lerwick
6
12
6
10
15
10
5
12


Lochmaddy
4
2
2
1
0
1
2
2


Peterhead
19
32
54
45
28
45
29
68


Portree
4
6
9
7
5
2
12
4


Stonehaven
24
18
29
23
25
24
34
29


Stornoway
12
6
8
5
4
2
5
10


Tain
7
7
10
7
7
12
11
6


Wick
14
14
12
11
14
8
9
17


 
353
375
456
478
442
475
474
520


North Strathclyde 
Campbeltown
10
12
12
23
13
23
15
7


Dumbarton
67
46
52
67
83
69
99
95


Dunoon
15
12
18
24
18
13
26
13


Greenock
27
29
44
43
34
35
49
49


Kilmarnock
97
136
133
156
162
160
136
158


Oban
9
10
18
28
23
25
42
22


Paisley
97
139
168
181
171
212
127
120


Rothesay
10
3
9
2
4
4
3
5


 
332
387
454
524
508
541
497
469


South Strathclyde,
Airdrie
127
90
141
129
162
173
166
103


Dumfries and Galloway
Ayr
89
61
96
114
83
98
113
89


Dumfries
45
45
51
48
44
55
43
51


Hamilton
173
181
199
212
159
212
214
232


Kirkcudbright
7
15
17
16
24
20
23
19


Lanark
15
27
54
34
30
35
36
39


Stranraer
21
13
12
16
15
12
12
15


 
477
432
570
569
517
605
607
548


Tayside, Central and Fife
Alloa
35
36
50
34
24
31
40
35


Arbroath
20
30
35
37
35
29
29
43


Cupar
41
42
55
58
41
51
50
58


Dundee
57
69
108
115
105
139
135
162


Dunfermline
98
104
123
121
102
119
91
128


Falkirk
113
113
153
129
110
126
108
125


Forfar
20
19
36
20
31
27
30
31


Kirkcaldy
138
148
152
166
151
149
171
164


Perth
99
128
139
114
71
116
149
107


Stirling
56
48
46
44
51
48
44
50


 
677
737
897
838
721
835
847
903


Totals
 
2,534
2,701
3,110
3,185
2,938
3,193
3,228
3,309



  Note: The above figures include awards made in the Court of Session and remitted to the appropriate sheriff court.

  Statistics on company bankruptcies are not available by local authority or sheriff court district. The total numbers for the years for which records are available are:

  

 
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04


Notified Company Insolvencies:
 


Liquidations
753
568
853
794


Receiverships
111
68
114
99


 
864
636
967
893

Bathing Waters

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered the costs of any measures to be introduced in relation to bathing water; what estimate it has made of the total costs which may be required to introduce such measures, and whether it will provide a breakdown of these costs.

Lewis Macdonald: In order to meet the microbiological water quality requirements of the Bathing Water Directive, the Executive is evaluating a number of measures designed to reduce the impact of diffuse pollution on susceptible bathing waters. These projects include farm management programmes, such as in the River Nairn catchment, and the creation of biogas plants. As these projects are on-going, we are not yet in a position to give total costs. Scottish Water has invested over £1.6 billion improving treatment infrastructure since 2000, part of which is aimed towards improving bathing water quality.

Bathing Waters

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who would be responsible for independent monitoring of whether more than 200 people use a beach for bathing; how much this would cost; what purpose this expenditure would serve, and whether such expenditure would be justified.

Lewis Macdonald: Under forthcoming bathing water identification proposals, to be run on the Executive’s behalf by Clean Coast Scotland, owners or operators of bathing water sites wishing to be identified under the Bathing Water Directive will be required to provide data indicating peak daily usage of 150 people or above. This will ensure that future sites are identified in line with the directive’s requirement to protect large numbers of bathers. Data should be such that it can be independently validated. Costs of data collection are to be borne by the applicant, and will vary depending on the size of site and survey method employed. Clean Coast Scotland will be responsible for introducing application criteria, but, it is likely that both manual counts and photographic evidence will be acceptable.

Caledonian MacBrayne

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, following the invitation to tender for the Gourock-Dunoon ferry route, whether a precedent will be set for other Clyde and Hebridean routes currently operated by Caledonian MacBrayne to be offered for tender, if they are identified as being able to operate without subsidy.

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it used to determine that the Gourock-Dunoon ferry route could be operated without subsidy and what criteria it will use to demonstrate whether any other routes currently operated by Caledonian MacBrayne could be operated without subsidy.

Nicol Stephen: Since 2003 the Gourock-Dunoon route has been treated separately from the rest of the CalMac network in relation to the tendering proposals for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services. This reflects the presence of a long-established unsubsidised commercial operator on an adjacent Gourock to Dunoon route. A prior information notice was recently issued in relation to the opportunity for a commercial service with no operating or timetable restrictions.

  The prior information notice was not the start of a tender process. Rather, it was the first step in ascertaining if there might be operators interested in providing a service from Dunoon Pier to Gourock Pier on a non-subsidised basis. This option was proposed in response to local analysis suggesting that the Gourock-Dunoon service could be operated on a commercial basis (without subsidy) if the service were to be allowed to operate without the time and frequency restrictions that have been imposed on CalMac’s vehicle service for many years. These two factors – an unsubsidised commercial competitor and analysis suggesting the possibility of a commercial service – are not present on other Clyde and Hebrides routes. The other CalMac routes which are within the undertaking have been assessed as being loss making and so there are no plans to apply the approach suggested for Gourock–Dunoon to other routes.

  The Gourock–Dunoon proposals will not be taken any further forward until there have been further discussions between the Executive and the European Commission and I have reported back to Parliament.

Caledonian MacBrayne

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish details of each route currently operated by Caledonian MacBrayne, specifying (a) the number of foot passengers carried, (b) the number of car passengers carried, (c) the amount of subsidy spent and (d) the profit or loss made, for each of the last five years.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive does not hold information which distinguishes between foot passengers and those travelling with a vehicle on individual routes, with the exception of Gourock-Dunoon. However, details of total passenger and vehicle carryings are held on a route-by-route basis on the company’s website at www.calmac.co.uk/2003carryings-annualcalendartotals.pdf and passenger and vehicle carryings for earlier years are contained in the annual publication, Scottish Transport Statistics, the 2004 edition of which is available at:

  www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/360/360-00.asp.

  The subsidy is allocated on a network, rather than route-by-route basis. However, information on subsidy and operating loss by area of operation is shown in the company’s annual report and accounts which can be found at:

  www.calmac.co.uk/annualreports.html.

  The Executive has, since December 2004, been receiving information on a monthly basis from CalMac detailing the number of foot passengers and the number of passengers travelling with vehicles on the Gourock-Dunoon route. The information is being gathered to assist the Executive with our plans for the route and is commercially confidential.

Drug Misuse

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there have been any attempts to use neuroelectric therapy in the treatment of drug addiction.

Hugh Henry: Neuroelectric therapy has been used since the 1970s in the treatment of drug and other addictions. Whilst the Executive has received some correspondence on this issue, we are not aware of any widespread interest in the therapy from current practitioners in the drugs field.

Employment

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of men of working age is in work or looking for employment.

Mr Jim Wallace: The proportion of men of working age in work or looking for employment for the autumn quarter in 2004 was 83.5%. This proportion is commonly referred to as the economic activity rate.

  The 2004 autumn quarter runs from September 2004 to November 2004.

  The proportion is estimated from the Labour Force Survey which is carried out by the Office for National Statistics.

Employment

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of women of working age is in work or looking for employment.

Mr Jim Wallace: The proportion of women of working age in work or looking for employment for the autumn quarter in 2004 was 75.8%. This proportion is commonly referred to as the economic activity rate.

  The 2004 autumn quarter runs from September 2004 to November 2004.

  The proportion is estimated from the Labour Force Survey which is carried out by the Office for National Statistics.

Employment

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of people of working age is in work or looking for employment.

Mr Jim Wallace: The proportion of people of working age in work or looking for employment for the autumn quarter in 2004 was 79.7%. This proportion is commonly referred to as the economic activity rate.

  The 2004 autumn quarter runs from September 2004 to November 2004.

  The proportion is estimated from the Labour Force Survey which is carried out by the Office for National Statistics.

Employment

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of men aged between 55 and 64 years of age is in work or looking for employment.

Mr Jim Wallace: The proportion of men aged between 55 and 64 years of age in work or looking for employment for the autumn quarter in 2004 was 66.4%. This proportion is commonly referred to as the economic activity rate.

  The 2004 autumn quarter runs from September 2004 to November 2004.

  The proportion is estimated from the Labour Force Survey which is carried out by the Office for National Statistics.

Employment

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of women between 55 and 64 years of age is in work or looking for employment.

Mr Jim Wallace: The proportion of women aged between 55 and 64 years of age in work or looking for employment for the autumn quarter in 2004 was 45.9%. This proportion is commonly referred to as the economic activity rate.

  The 2004 autumn quarter runs from September 2004 to November 2004.

  The proportion is estimated from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) which is carried out by the Office for National Statistics.

Employment

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of people aged between 55 and 64 years of age is in work or looking for employment.

Mr Jim Wallace: The proportion of people aged between 55 and 64 years of age in work or looking for employment for the autumn quarter in 2004 was 55.8%. This proportion is commonly referred to as the economic activity rate.

  The 2004 autumn quarter runs from September 2004 to November 2004.

  The proportion is estimated from the Labour Force Survey which is carried out by the Office for National Statistics.

Environment

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has investigated the reported withdrawal by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency of a public warning about pollutants entering Loch Lomond following lobbying from the detergents industry and, if so, what conclusions have been reached.

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate the decision by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to withdraw a leaflet, "Do a Little, Save the Loch", relating to the pollution of Loch Lomond after receiving representations from the UK Cleaning Products Industry Association and, if so, whether it will give details of the investigation and publish the results.

Lewis Macdonald: This is an operational matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

European Funding

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the Highlands and Islands European Partnership’s (HIEP) update of the Oviedo Declaration for Statistical Effect Regions.

Mr Jim Wallace: At this stage, it is difficult to say what the outcome of the negotiations on the Structural Funds will be. However, the Executive is committed to promoting a strong regional policy by securing funding for regional development for the whole of Scotland. This is regardless of whether the source of that funding is the EU (as advocated by the Oviedo Declaration) or domestic.

European Funding

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what lessons it has learned as a result of the draft interim report on the Objective One funding projects in the Highlands and Islands delivered to it by the European Commission on 27 September 2004.

Allan Wilson: The draft report concentrates on practices during the 1994–99 programming period. Procedures for the current (2000–06) period reflect revised regulations. The findings of the draft report underline our consistent advice to applicants on retention of documents and the need to demonstrate a robust audit trail.

G8 Summit

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what influence or direct input it will have on the UK Government’s contribution to the G8 summit’s discussions on the G8’s Secure and Facilitated International Travel Initiative (SAFTI).

Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-14805 on 9 March 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

G8 Summit

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken as a result of recommendations made by the G8’s Secure and Facilitated International Travel Initiative.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any direct input into or influence on the UK Government’s contribution to the G8’s Secure and Facilitated International Travel Initiative.

Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-14893 on 9 March 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

G8 Summit

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek additional funding from HM Treasury for overtime payments for police officers covering for colleagues on G8-related duties.

Cathy Jamieson: The UK Government has already agreed that extra funds will be made available to help meet the agreed additional policing costs incurred in connection with this year’s G8 summit. These costs are currently being assessed but will allow for overtime costs as appropriate.

G8 Summit

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what influence or direct input it will have on the European Council’s contribution to the G8 summit’s discussions on Africa in respect of education.

Patricia Ferguson: As I have said before in response to other parliamentary questions, I am delighted that this year’s G8 summit will be held in Scotland. We want to take the opportunity to ensure that the education community in Scotland is aware of the G8 and its agenda and has a chance to debate the issues.

  So far as our input to the European Council’s contribution to G8 is concerned, we continue to reflect Scottish views to UK and European colleagues on both reserved and devolved matters through the normal channels. The appropriate conduit for Scottish input here is the Joint Ministerial Committee on Europe which is held in London each month and is chaired by the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw. The Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform, Tom McCabe is the Scottish representative at that meeting.

  You will already have seen the First Minister’s work to give schools the opportunity to combine learning with real support for development in Africa, through the Scottish Schools Africa Challenge. The winners of that competition, four to six young people and two teachers from a Scottish secondary school, will visit Malawi, meet young people of their own age in that country, see their schools and learn about their education system. Their involvement in this visit is an important opportunity to signal commitment by Scotland’s youth to communities in Malawi and Africa as a whole.

  In addition, on Commonwealth Day, 14 March, Euan Robson, the Deputy Minister for Education and Young People hosted a showcase of primary school links with schools in Commonwealth countries.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-584 by Malcolm Chisholm on 16 March 2003, how many people have been admitted to hospital as a result of (a) alcohol misuse, (b) tobacco consumption, (c) obesity and (d) misuse of illegal drugs in each year since 2002, broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on all admissions to general acute and psychiatric hospitals, showing episodes of in-patient or day case care with an explicit diagnosis of alcohol-related conditions, drug misuse and obesity during 2001-02 is shown in table 1.

  Complete data on psychiatric admissions is unavailable for 2002-03 and 2003-04. Table 2 shows the information requested for admissions to general acute hospitals only.

  Estimates of the number of people admitted to hospital as a result of tobacco consumption are not available.

  Table 1 Scottish Hospital1,2 Discharge Records With an Explicit Diagnosis of Alcohol-related Conditions, Drug Misuse or Obesity; 2001-02

  


Area of Residence
Diagnosis³


Alcohol-related Conditions
Drug Misuse
Obesity


Scotland
45,964
6,334
4,462


Argyll and Clyde
4,556
623
359


Ayrshire and Arran
4,018
800
449


Borders
729
70
147


Dumfries and Galloway
1,257
196
237


Fife
2,504
305
422


Forth Valley
1,572
187
181


Grampian
3,284
491
304


Greater Glasgow
10,947
2,208
689


Highland
2,790
104
439


Lanark
4,221
448
315


Lothian
6,615
705
738


Tayside
2,796
174
126


Islands4
675
23
56


Other
808
224
28



  Source: SMR01 and SMR04 (valid records only).

  Date: 2 March 2005.

  Ref: 20050514.

  Notes:

  1. Includes acute hospitals, mental illness hospitals and psychiatric units (excludes maternity hospitals).

  2. Information on hospital discharges relates to episodes of in-patient or day case care rather than individual patients. The same patient may account for several hospital admissions during the course of a year (or across years) and will be counted each time in the attached table. Transfer cases have been included.

  3. Diagnostic information is defined by using the World Health Organisation’s International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD10). Alcohol-related conditions: F10, R780, Y90, Y91, Z637, Z811, Z864, Z714, Z502, T506, Y573, T510, T519, X45, X65, Y15, O354, Q860, P043, Z721, Z133, G621, G721, K860, I426, K70, K292, G312, E52. Drug Misuse : F11, F12, F13, F14, F15, F16, F18, F19. Obesity : E66.

  4 Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles.

  Table 2 Scottish General Acute Hospital1,2 Discharge Records with an Explicit Diagnosis of Alcohol-related Conditions, Drug Misuse or Obesity; 2002-03 to 2003-04Ρ

  


 
Area of Residence
Discharge Period
Diagnosis³


2002-03
2003-04


Alcohol-related Conditions
Drug Misuse
Obesity
Alcohol-related Conditions
Drug Misuse
Obesity


Scotland
44,669
5,084
5,150
46,206
5,152
5,595


Argyll and Clyde
4,253
485
381
4,037
464
421


Ayrshire and Arran
4,129
585
442
4,150
642
461


Borders
688
56
128
652
43
99


Dumfries and Galloway
1,140
124
266
1,083
90
206


Fife
2,166
268
494
2,098
317
490


Forth Valley
1,660
162
251
1,624
145
212


Grampian
3,376
450
387
4,285
524
626


Greater Glasgow
10,876
1,853
859
10,969
1,666
1,036


Highland
2,753
60
489
2,846
67
406


Lanark
4,364
268
292
4,755
257
384


Lothian
6,109
561
906
6,339
751
932


Tayside
2,349
194
188
2,510
160
247


Islands4
806
18
67
858
26
75


Other
663
165
48
598
81
45



  Source: SMR01 (valid records only).

  Date: 2 March 2005.

  Ref: 20050514.

  PProvisional.

  Notes:

  1. Includes acute hospitals (excludes maternity hospitals, mental illness hospitals and psychiatric units).

  2. Information on hospital discharges relates to episodes of in-patient or day case care rather than individual patients. The same patient may account for several hospital admissions during the course of a year (or across years) and will be counted each time in the attached table. Transfer cases have been included.

  3. Diagnostic information is defined by using the World Health Organisation’s International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD10). Alcohol-related conditions: F10, R780, Y90, Y91, Z637, Z811, Z864, Z714, Z502, T506, Y573, T510, T519, X45, X65, Y15, O354, Q860, P043, Z721, Z133, G621, G721, K860, I426, K70, K292, G312, E52. Drug Misuse : F11, F12, F13, F14, F15, F16, F18, F19. Obesity : E66.

  4. Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles.

Housing

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the introduction of a tenancy deposit scheme to provide protection to tenants from landlords where there is a dispute, giving both parties access to redress to ensure that tenants of private landlords are able to retrieve deposits without recourse to court action.

Malcolm Chisholm: There are various possible models for tenancy deposit schemes and we are examining their merits before considering the form of such a scheme in Scotland.

Immigration

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many training seminars have been organised by Work Permits UK and the Executive for Scottish employers in the last year.

Allan Wilson: There were no training seminars promoting the work of Work Permits UK organised by Work Permits UK and the Executive for Scottish employers in the last year. I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-14915 on 14 March 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament/webapp/wa.search.

Justice

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of assault victims reported their attacker to have been under the influence of alcohol in each year since 1997, broken down by type of assault.

Elish Angiolini QC: The question of whether or not a person accused of assault was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the alleged offence can be a relevant evidential matter to be considered during a trial and is therefore generally included in a police report to the Procurator Fiscal as part of the description of the circumstances of the offence.

  It is not, however, recorded as part of the case data which can be extracted from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal database and the information sought could not therefore be obtained without a manual search of all case papers, where these have been retained, which would involve disproportionate cost.

Justice

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates have been made of the number of cars speeding on motorways in Dumfries and Galloway on a typical day.

Cathy Jamieson: No estimates of this number have been made by the Scottish Executive. Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary, both directly and also as part of the local safety camera partnership, is involved in the enforcement of speed limits in its area. In the partnership’s case, this will be at locations where there has been a proven history of speed-related accidents.

NHS Staff

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications would be for the retention of doctors in the NHS of the NHS retirement age being raised to 65 and whether, in such circumstances, doctors who are around 60 years old would be more likely to take early retirement.

Mr Andy Kerr: The NHS pension scheme review began in January and views must be submitted by the 25 April 2005. Once this is complete, the department will be able to advise staff what the overall pensions package will look like so that they can make an informed choice in the 2007-08 pensions options exercise. Scottish ministers have given an assurance to existing NHS staff, including doctors, that they will not be affected by any new pensions arrangements until at least 2013, with any benefits accrued till that point fully protected. This means that, in effect, doctors who are currently in their early fifties onwards will not be affected, unless they choose to be. There will therefore be no immediate impact for these staff.

NHS Waiting Times

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9715 by Malcolm Chisholm on 11 August 2004, what the most recent average waiting times are for a first out-patient appointment with a neurology consultant following referral by a GP, broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: The number of first out-patient neurology appointments and the median waiting time for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant in the specialty of neurology, following referral by a general medical practitioner, by NHS board of residence, in the year ended 31 December 2004, is given in the table.

  The Centre for Change and Innovation is undertaking the largest out-patient improvement programme seen in Scotland to create sustainable change and assist NHSScotland to meet the national maximum waiting time of 26 weeks for a first out-patient appointment, from the end of 2005. As part of this programme, a £2.95 million national redesign of neurology services was launched last year. The four specialist neurology centres in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen have developed redesign proposals in partnership with their neighbouring NHS boards for whom neurology services are provided, and funding is currently being issued.

  NHSScotland: Number of First Out-Patient Appointments and Median Waiting Times for a First Out-patient Appointment with a Consultant in the Specialty of Neurology, Following Referral by a General Medical Practitioner, by NHS Board Area of Residence. Year Ended 31 December 2004P.

  

NHS Board
Number of Appointments
Median Wait


Argyll and Clyde
825
101 days


Ayrshire and Arran
336
65 days


Borders
276
167 days


Dumfries and Galloway
156
58 days


Fife
795
159 days


Forth Valley
773
63 days


Grampian
2,082
35 days


Greater Glasgow
3,008
95 days


Highland
312
100 days


Lanarkshire
1,103
125 days


Lothian
4,228
33 days


Orkney
24
32* days


Shetland
22
148* days


Tayside
743
78 days


Western Isles
45
107* days


Scotland
14,728
69 Days



  Source: SMR00, ISD Scotland.

  PProvisional.

  Note: *Figures should be treated with caution as they are derived from a possible unrepresentatively small number of appointments (more than 14 but less than 50).

  Excludes patients with an Availability Status Code.

National Library of Scotland

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs have been of storing the material referred to as "Political Papers of David McLetchie MSP" in the National Library of Scotland and what the additional costs have been of splitting them into two categories, personal files and party files.

Patricia Ferguson: I have asked Martyn Wade, National Librarian of the National Libraries of Scotland, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The cost of storing the material is £60 per annum. No costs have, as yet, been incurred in splitting the papers into two categories. A request to split the papers has recently been received from the depositor and this is now being considered in the usual way. We believe the costs of splitting the papers will not exceed £1,000.

Public Defence Solicitors’ Office

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13040 by Hugh Henry on 20 January 2005, why the Public Defence Solicitors’ Offices (PDSO) percentage share of the Edinburgh Sheriff Court plan was reduced to 28% when, according to a letter from the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) to agents dated 24 December 2004, the PDSO’s share would be reduced to 25% as a result of discussions between SLAB and the Edinburgh Bar Association on 22 December 2004; who made the decision to change the percentage share; when and to whom this decision was intimated, and what action it will take to ensure that the percentage share remains as it was discussed and agreed with the Edinburgh Bar Association.

Hugh Henry: The difference in percentage shares of the Edinburgh Sheriff Court plan arises from the issue of whether court days or court slots (of two or three days, either midweek or over a weekend) are used in the calculation. The Scottish Legal Aid Board had no intention of substantively altering the percentage share mentioned in the letter of 22 December 2004. In the light of subsequent discussions, however, the board has now further reduced the PDSO’s allocation by 12 days. A revised duty plan has been sent to the Edinburgh Bar Association for approval.

Registers of Scotland

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether contracts into which it enters have a requirement that any personal data recorded as part of the contract conform to the standards adopted as to name lengths and numbers of names in the Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages and whether it will indicate what other requirements it makes in this respect.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive does not set any standards regarding name lengths or number of names in respect of data recorded as part of contracts awarded.

Royal Visits

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14474 by Cathy Jamieson on 1 March 2005, what representations it has received regarding policing events attended by the royal family; from whom such representations were received, and what its response was.

Cathy Jamieson: Representations were received in September and October 2002 from a member of the public about parking restrictions imposed at a Hospital during a visit in September 2002 by a member of the Royal Family. The response given at that time noted that the restrictions had been put in place by the local police for the day of the visit, that the individual concerned had taken the matter up with the chief constable of that force, and that he had received a reply from the force.

  In addition to question S2W-14474, answered on 1 March 2005. I have answered parliamentary questions in connection with the Royal Family during Session 2 of the Parliament:

  S2W-9199 on 13 July 2004;

  S2W-9200 on 13 July 2004;

  S2W-10023 on 14 September 2004;

  S2W-10025 on 14 September 2004;

  S2W-10026 on 16 September 2004, and

  S2W-11447 on 10 November 2004.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament/webapp/wa.search.

Schools

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many anti-bullying services are operational in schools; how many pupils utilise these services, and how much they cost to fund.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive made a recommendation in Better Behaviour – Better Learning (2001) that schools should involve pupils in buddying and mentoring schemes, which can help to combat bullying. We are aware that this recommendation is being implemented in many schools across Scotland. In addition, the national pilot of restorative practices in schools is involving pupils in the pilot schools in activities such as peer mediation.

  However, there is no national formal data on the numbers of anti-bullying services in Scottish schools, or on how many pupils use their school’s anti-bullying support. The Scottish Executive does not directly fund anti-bullying services in schools, although education authorities receive £10 million a year to implement the recommendations of Better Behaviour – Better Learning.

  In addition, the Scottish Executive has funded a national Anti-Bullying Network since 1999. In 2004 the Scottish Executive commissioned a national needs assessment exercise which gained the views of professionals, pupils and parents on their need for anti-bullying activity. The evidence has been used to develop a new specification for a national anti-bullying programme that will take a strong a pro-active role in developing the role of professionals in all children’s services in preventing bullying and responding effectively when it occurs.

Schools

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors and records the incidence of school bullying.

Peter Peacock: It is for education authorities to develop and implement anti-bullying policies and decide how incidents of bullying should be monitored and recorded. There is no national data collection on school bullying.

  The Scottish Executive draws on data from international surveys such as Health Behaviour of School-Age Children (HBSC).

  This World Health Organisation/European Union survey provides comparable data with 36 countries at four-yearly intervals and is conducted in Scotland by the University of Edinburgh. The sample in Scotland is around 1,500 young people ages 11, 13 and 15. The survey provides information on experience of being bullied, bullying and fighting, as well as whether they like school and find their peers kind and helpful. This data is reported in the Better Behaviour in Scottish Schools Policy Update 2004, in which it is reported that bullying in Scotland is well below the HBSC average of 35 countries and is among the 13 countries in which bullying is lowest.

Social Work

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what data collection procedures it has in place to track the number of assaults on vulnerable adults.

Cathy Jamieson: This information is not collected centrally.

Social Work

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30485 by Mrs Mary Mulligan on 29 October 2002, whether it now has information on how many vulnerable adults are currently awaiting referral to a social worker, broken down by local authority.

Rhona Brankin: There is no statutory or operational requirement for the Executive to collect such information, and we have no plans to seek it from local authorities.

  However, in light of the findings of the SWSI and Mental Welfare Commission investigations into the care and treatment of individuals with learning disabilities by Scottish Borders Council and NHS Borders, and more generally about the need to improve protections for vulnerable adults, the Executive is pursuing a range of policy initiatives which, collectively, will lead to improved care practice and data sharing for vulnerable adults.